Which term describes organisms that eat dead organisms?

Which term describes organisms that eat dead organisms?

• A. Decomposers
• B. Detritivores
• C. Primary Producers
• D. Scavengers

Answer: (D)

The concept here is organisms that feed on dead matter. Scavengers are animals that consume carcasses of other organisms after death, often remaining parts of prey or animals that died from other causes. This makes scavengers the best fit for describing organisms that eat dead organisms, since their feeding is specifically on whole dead animals rather than on tiny detrital particles or through chemical breakdown. Detritivores also deal with dead material, but they primarily ingest detritus—small particles and fragments of dead matter like leaf litter—rather than whole carcasses. Decomposers, mostly microbes and fungi, break down dead material chemically to recycle nutrients, rather than consuming intact dead organisms. Primary producers are the living organisms that generate organic matter themselves, not consumers of dead material.

The concept here is organisms that feed on dead matter. Scavengers are animals that consume carcasses of other organisms after death, often remaining parts of prey or animals that died from other causes. This makes scavengers the best fit for describing organisms that eat dead organisms, since their feeding is specifically on whole dead animals rather than on tiny detrital particles or through chemical breakdown.

Detritivores also deal with dead material, but they primarily ingest detritus—small particles and fragments of dead matter like leaf litter—rather than whole carcasses. Decomposers, mostly microbes and fungi, break down dead material chemically to recycle nutrients, rather than consuming intact dead organisms. Primary producers are the living organisms that generate organic matter themselves, not consumers of dead material.